LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Impending storms on Sunday forced Xavier and No. 4/15 Louisville to play a double-header on Saturday afternoon and, despite a rally in the second game, the Musketeers lost both games to the Cardinals. The losses drop Xavier to 6-11, while nationally-ranked Louisville improves to 16-2.

The Musketeers will have a five-day break before opening play in the Atlantic 10 on Friday at St. Bonaventure. First pitch in Olean, N.Y., is scheduled for 3 p.m.

Game 1: Xavier 0, No. 4/15 Louisville 7Alex Westrick (1-3) tossed seven innings in the opening game, giving up three runs, two of which were earned. The sophomore allowed one run in each of the first, fourth and seventh innings on eight hits and a pair of walks.

Xavier picked up six hits in the contest, but couldn't plate a run. Elwell, the first batter of the game, walked and advanced to second on a sac bunt. He took third on a ground out by Hasenbeck to the pitcher, but a line-out to center field by Nittoli ended the scoring chance.

XU had a chance to put a run on the board in the seventh when Nittoli hit a one-out double. However, the next two Musketeers flew out and grounded out ending the threat.

UofL blew the game open with a grand slam in the eighth inning. Zach Johnson entered in relief of Westrick and gave up back-to-back singles and a walk to load the bases. Nick Ratajczak lined a 3-1 pitch over the right-field wall. Bodner replaced Johnson and closed out the inning.

Jeff Thompson earned the win, improving to 5-0 on the season. Thompson held Xavier scoreless through eight innings, allowing five hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Joe Filomeno collected three more strikeouts for UofL and gave up one hit to Tres Eberhardt, closing out the ninth.

Game 2: Xavier 6, No. 4/15 Louisville 8
Louisville continued its hot hitting to start the second game, tallying two runs in each of the third and fourth innings to grab a 4-0 lead. The Musketeers didn't panic and stayed patient at the plate.

Xavier loaded the bases in the top of the fifth when Rizzie and Stephen Schoettmer were walked and Elwell was hit by a pitch. Patrick Paligraf then drew a walk to score Rizzie, cutting the Cardinals' lead to 4-1.

UofL looked to put XU away with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Musketeers responded with a big sixth inning. Joe Forney doubled, Bo Slemons singled, Rizzie walked, Bodner walked, Elwell singled and Nittoli singled, plating five runs in the inning to even the score at six.

Louisville's Mike White broke the tie with a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth and Nick Burdi worked the ninth to preserve an 8-6 victory for his third save this year.

Tyler Koors gave up nine hits, six runs, five earned runs and struck out four batters in five innings. Scott Klever (2-2) took the loss after pitching the final three innings. He allowed two runs on four hits.

Kyle Funkhouser tossed 2.1 innings for Louisville to earn his first victory of the year.